Green Empowerment hosts fundraiser in Portland

Green Empowerment brought dams to Nicaragua, clean drinking water to Peru and solar power to Burma.

On Saturday, May 31, it wants to bring its mission of renewable energy and clean water to Portland at the Passport to Empowerment party at the Star Theater, 13 N.W. 6th Ave.

The VIP passport portion of the party costs $85 and lasts from 5:30-8:30 p.m. That includes cocktails and food from Nicaragua, Malaysia and the Philippines, along with a discussion of Green Empowerments projects in those countries. The Empowerment Party costs $35 (though the VIP ticket covers that) and runs from 8:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. That includes dancing, live music, drinks and prizes.

Green Empowerments first project in 1998 supported the dreams of Portland mechanical engineer, Ben Linder: bring electricity to a small Nicaraguan town through a hydroelectric plant.

A guerrilla army called the Contras, supported by the United States and President Ronald Reagan's determination to overthrow the Sandinista revolution, murdered Linder in 1987 as he began work on a second micro-hydro project.

Inspired by Linders work, Green Empowerments founder Michael Royce began working with other non-governmental organizations globally. Green Empowerment now works in Malaysia, Burma, Thailand, Guatemala, Peru, Philippines and Ecuador.